Delray Resident Organizes Film Festival

Fifteen years ago, Sandra Blank of Delray Beach was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38.

She found that information about the disease was somewhat scarce in South Florida, so she formed the Florida Breast Cancer Resource Network in 1997.

Looking for a way to raise money for her programs, and at the same time support women in the film industry, Blank brought the national LUNAFEST to the Delray Beach Playhouse in November 2004.

This year, she is bringing it to the Crest Theatre in Delray Beach on March 12.

Sponsored by the Berkeley, Calif.-based LUNA, owned by Clif Bar & Co., a maker of nutrition bars for women, LUNAFEST is a touring festival of films by, for and about women.

"Initially, the film screenings were limited to California, but when I saw they were starting to do them elsewhere a couple of years ago, I contacted LUNA and offered to host a festival here," said Blank, who continues to battle a 2001 diagnosis of fallopian tube cancer. "Everybody does a walk or a run to raise funds, and I wanted to do something different."

"One is a funny film about a famous bra shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Another tells the story of a female soldier who struggles to find someone to care for her children during her tour of duty in the Middle East," Blank said. "Some are as short as five minutes, others may run 20 to 25 minutes."

More than 200 films were submitted to LUNA, screened and narrowed down to about 60 by a 40-member community panel, said Brooke Golden, national director of LUNAFEST. A group of judges composed of the LUNAFEST board and female professionals in film, media, business and women's advocacy selected eight to 10 films and each received a cash prize.

"Women are underrepresented in film and in Hollywood, and through the festival we spotlight women filmmakers and bring to light issues about women, which heightens awareness and creates dialogue," Golden said. "Fifty percent of our venues are repeat festival presenters, and we expect screening locations and attendance to grow."

Breast cancer survivor Ellen Feiler, of Wilton Manors, attended last year's event in Delray Beach and will go again this year.

"The films were wonderful; some sweet, some poignant. It's a fun event," she said.

"Things like this don't usually happen in this area, so I'm willing to travel to attend," said Feiler, 53, health education director for the Broward County Health Department, which provides breast and cervical cancer service and education programs for women older than 50 who are underinsured or uninsured.

LUNAFEST will travel to more than 100 locations nationwide this year during its fifth anniversary. A LUNAFEST event at Florida Atlantic University's Jupiter campus on Feb. 24 raised money for FAU's Feminist Student Union and general scholarships.

The sponsor of the event in each city keeps 85 percent of the proceeds from the festival, while 15 percent goes to the national Breast Cancer Fund, an organization focused on eliminating environmental causes of breast cancer.

"I'm a very big advocate of making sure program funds stay in the community where the organization is based, and this does that," Blank said. "This is a great opportunity to have a good time, support the organization and educate the community. It's very near and dear to my heart."

IF YOU GO

What: LUNAFEST, national touring festival of 16 films by, for and about women